


latching onto you

by midnights



Series: wrap your fingers round my thumb [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Parents, Babies, Established Relationship, Grocery Shopping, M/M, Married Couple, Parenthood, Parents Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-27
Updated: 2014-02-27
Packaged: 2018-01-13 22:00:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1242151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnights/pseuds/midnights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>it's strange for louis, because he's no longer the smallest thing that fits under harry's arm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	latching onto you

**Author's Note:**

> ive been putting off writing the actual fics im working on, and i wanted to post something, so, here this is :) the title is from Disclosure's 'Latch'. make sure to comment loads and leave kudos if you like it! come see me on [tumblr](http://ravenclawmalik.tumblr.com/) !
> 
> enjoy!! (◡‿◡✿)

They're out of milk again, and it's going to snow soon.

"Haz, 'm gonna grab some milk and stuff before this storm starts up, kay?" Louis walks into the living room. Harry is holding a sleepy Sam in his arms, bouncing up and down slowly while he watches TV. Harry smiles when he sees Louis. "Hullo, love. You sure? Sam can just have apple juice or something, you don't have to go out in this weather." 

"No, she needs it. How else will we make French toast tomorrow?" Louis grins. Harry laughs.

"Drive safe, babe." Harry says.

Louis kisses his cheek. "Mhm." 

"Love you," Harry smacks his bum lightly.

"You too, love. And you, baby. Papa will be home soon, okay? Be sure to put her to bed, babe." Louis presses a kiss to Sam's forehead.

She giggles happily and grabs for him. Louis kisses her forehead again and heads out, calling a goodbye as he walks out the door. It's cold out there, cold and silent and bright from the moon reflecting off of the snow. It's already snowing a bit, and the walk to the car is a bit slippery. Louis unlocks the car door and climbs into the car, yelping as his foot slips on the way. He makes in inside alright, though, and closes the door behind him. It's so cold inside the car that he can actually see his breath. 

The roads are empty, just a few people going out to get bread and milk like Louis. The supermarket is actually empty except for the girl at the counter, who is half asleep. He grabs a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, and a carton of eggs and sets it on the counter. The girl stirs and straightens up.

"Sorry." She says. "New dad?" She asks. Louis looks up from his wallet.

"Yeah, do I look like one? Am I the stereotypical new dad?" Louis asks quickly.

"Looks like you haven't slept in a while, my friend." The girl smirks, and Louis blinks.

"You have no idea. How is she so loud? How does that _work_?" Louis hands her the money for the milk.

"Dunno." She hands him the change and the milk. "Good luck with her."

"Thanks."

Louis heads home. He tries to unlock the door as quietly as possible, hoping Harry and Sam won't wake up. He steps inside, and cringes as his foot lands on a squeaky baby toy. It's _awful_ noise pierces through the beautiful silence in the usually loud house. Louis stands absolutely still, listening for the inevitable sound of Sam's wailing. But it never comes. He kicks the culprit aside, a pink ducky with a princess tiara that he thinks was from Zayn. 

When Harry and Louis first brought Sam home, they hardly got any time alone with her. Their mums were always at the house, or the boys, or some friends; always somebody that kept them from alone time with their baby. They enjoyed the company, of course, but Harry and Louis wanted to play with Sam. Zayn had brought Sam loads of princess things; he called Sam Princess more than he called her by her name. Sometimes, Louis thinks Zayn's gonna be a better parent than he and Harry are; he gave them teething rings and extra binkies, toys and soft blankets. 

Louis' mum had warned him about teething, but he hadn't expected it to be this bad. Harry and Louis didn't think Sam would have such a strong set of lungs, so they set aside the things Zayn had gotten for them. The first time Sam started wailing, the hadn't remembered where they'd put all the teething rings. Finally, they'd found them in a little box under the crib and gave them to her at night. Still, her incessant screaming makes it hard for them to sleep every night. Harry hardly speels at all, even if Sam is asleep. Louis couldn't let Harry go out and get the milk. He hasn't slept properly in weeks. Hopefully, he'd be asleep in bed.

No one could have prepared Harry and Louis for what a screamer Sam is. Louis has never heard something so loud in his life. It sounds like someone's being hurt. It takes a while to calm her down, too. There have been nights (recent nights) where Harry hardly gets any sleep at all. He always takes care of Sam, and tells Louis to go back to sleep. Louis felt guilty, but he'd always flop back onto the pillow. But tonight, he couldn't bear to make Harry go out and get milk before a snowstorm when he did so many things already.

Louis creeps into the kitchen. He turns on the light and sets into the dimmest setting. Kneading one fist into his eye, Louis puts the milk in the fridge and makes himself some tea. He sits on the counter as he drinks it, toeing off his boots and pulling off his layers of jackets. He's got on a blue sweater that may or may not be Harry's, grey trackies, and a grey beanie. He yawns again, holding the warm mug close to him. He slides off the counter, landing on the tiles almost silently. He goes to Sam's room to check on her. Quietly, he opens her door. It's too dark; he can't see his little girl in her crib.

Harry and Louis had spared no expense on Sam's room. They had the boys help them paint it pale pink last fall. Niall had, of course, sat in the rocking chair and drank beer the whole time, but Liam and Zayn had actually helped them. They had painted stencils of flowers over the pink, and put in a crib and some furniture. Her room is littered with toys and clothes; Harry and Louis get a bit messy when they're stressed.

Louis creeps inside and up to Sam's crib. She's not in there. Louis rolls his eyes, knowing exactly where she is. He shuts the door to Sam's room, taking a sip of his tea. He tiptoes to he and Harry's room, hugging the warm mug close to his chest. The door to his room is open, he can hear Harry breathing. At first glance, he can hardly even see Sam. She was just a bundle of fabric cuddled into Harry's chest, her head tucked under his chin. Harry has one massive hand on her back, and his body is curled towards his little girl.

Louis smiles. The size difference between Harry and Sammy is incredible. She fits in his hands easily. It's strange for Louis, because he's no longer the smallest thing that fits under Harry's arm. Harry's eyelashes flutter a bit, and Louis sighs as he takes another sip of his tea. Louis isn't sure if Harry or Sam is more beautiful. He thinks it's probably a tie. Sam's hair is a bit lighter than Harry's, and her eyes are hazel-green.

After all these years (eight), Harry is still the most beautiful person Louis has ever seen. His eyes still sparkle when he laughs, he still throws his head back and cackles obnoxiously when Louis says something funny, he still loves flowers. He's still the same sixteen year old he fell in love with. Only now, he's not the little sixteen year old with the big eyes and adoring smile. He's a man, a married man with a daughter, and a nice little house and a husband. They had a cat, but Peanut ran away last year.

Louis stands there, watching his little family breathe in unison. Quietly, he places his tea on the bedside table and kneels by the foot of the bed. He reaches out for Sam's tiny hand. She stays asleep, but her tiny hand curls around his finger. He still can't believe how small his little girl is. He runs his thumb over her hand, hoping she won't wake up.

"Careful." Harry says quietly.

Louis almost screams, he thought Harry was asleep. Harry opens one green eye. He moves one hand from Sam's back and reaches out to Louis. Louis laces their fingers together, shivering at how cold Harry's hand is.

"How'd you get her to sleep so easily?" Louis whispers.

Harry smiles. "She had a fit. I think she tired herself out." 

"Mm. Did you do tire yourself out too, babe?" Louis asks.

"A bit." Harry tries not so smile, but fails.

"You're on my side of the bed, you know." Louis says.

"Smells like you. And I told you, I-I don't sleep well alone anymore." Harry says sheepishly.

Louis smirks. "So I've been replaced, then?" 

" _Never_. She's my baby girl. You're... you're my Louis." Harry says.

" _Your_ Louis?" Louis smirks again.

"Are you getting in bed or not?" Harry frowns.

"Don't wanna wake her up." Louis whispers.

"Just get in, it'll be fine."

Louis pulls off his beanie and climbs into bed. He kisses Harry's nose, and then Sam's forehead. He takes Harry's hand and laces their fingers together. With Sam in the middle of him and Harry, Louis manages to fall asleep.

Almost.

Sam's wailing wakes him up.

"I got her H, go back to sleep."


End file.
